Popular Festivals

The Roundhouse is undisputedly one of London’s most important live music venues. It plays host to a hugely diverse and bold program of live music and cultural events including the recent Mercury Awards, the iTunes Festival and many more.

Yet there is another side to the venue that tends to go unnoticed by the crowds that flow through its doors each week.

Located below the Main Space in the underground of the building is an atmospheric circular brick performance space, The Dorfman Hub, which is the centre of a labyrinth of elegant brick chambers and narrow passages which lead to a series of recording studios, rehearsal rooms, a TV studio, radio studio and a selection of media suites – The Paul Hamlyn Roundhouse Studios.

The Paul Hamlyn Roundhouse Studios are specifically for the use of young artists between the ages of 11-25 and are funded by the Roundhouse Trust and its philanthropic supporters. Each year 3000 aspiring young artists pass along these corridors, dipping in and out of the various rooms as they build their skillsets. The Roundhouse’s creative program for 11-25 year olds includes projects taught by industry professionals, as well as a membership scheme allowing young creatives to access the space for independent projects, and seeks to provide young artists with the tools and facilities they need to make their first steps into the creative industries, or just to develop their skills by practicing what they love.

As well as delivering these integral development platforms for emerging artists, the venue has since launched Roundhouse Rising, a festival of new music featuring performances by emerging artists, workshops, panel discussions and associated creative projects.

Returning for a third year in February 2013, the next installment of Roundhouse Rising will feature a diverse range of flourishing young talent, starting with the album launch of 30/30, the flagship project for aspiring musical talent, on the Roundhouse’s own label, Roundhouse Records. Featured artists include IAm1, The Tuts, Demo, Blazer Splitz Boys and Vanessa Giminez, alongside Roundhouse Band Slam winner Callum Rafferty and a set from young DJ & producer Joss Ryan.

On the same day, there will be a panel discussion featuring some leading names from the media world, debating a range of challenges currently facing the UK music industry and those trying to make their way in this ever shifting climate.

Over the following 9 days, you can pick from a diverse range of performances. From a showcase of the next big things in UK Bass Culture featuring RoxXxan, RTKAL, and RasItes to gigs from new talent unearthed through Generator, a music talent development agency based in Newcastle.

Also new to this year’s calendar is a series of intimate performances from up and coming artists hosted by their record labels, including Moshi Moshi, Lex Records, Best Fit Recordings, and a performance by Mumford & Sons’ recent support act, the Moulettes. The Hub Sessions will be held in the unique Dorfman Hub for a handful of attendees only. Tickets will be very hard to come by but if you can’t get your hands on them you can catch the live-streams exclusively through the Roundhouse website and www.clashmusic.com.

Away from the stage, the festival will feature a number of intensive courses including Remix Rising, which sees young producers working with the likes of Spider Johnson (Lee Scratch Perry) and Hannah Holland (Batty Bass Records) to create remixes of Rising artists’ work to be played out during the festival. Elsewhere, Generator will be hosting masterclass sessions, bringing together some high profile members of the music community to discuss issues facing emerging artists, as well as talks focusing on some of the more prominent subjects surrounding today’s musical environment.

A full schedule for this year’s festival can be found below.

For tickets or to get involved, visit the Roundhouse Rising site at: www.roundhouse.org.uk/rising